Month: September 2012

Title says it all…I have pieced together enough part-time jobs to keep me busy and feeling productive while still giving me enough time to knock out a season of The Office each week.

The first job, as I believe we said earlier, is at the International YMCA. It is relatively easy, with two hours in my weekly schedule where my only job is to run around on the rooftop playground with a couple classes as a sort of recess. Fortunately there is one American kid in each class who feeds me Japanese words so I can keep up with the rest of the kids. Yata!

In addition to that, every Friday morning I teach an English class at a local community center,which I have to say is becoming a favorite. Basically, eight or nine housewives bring their little ones to the center and for an hour and a half, I teach/listen and correct/sing. After they found out I sing the first week, they demanded I bring my guitar the next week, which led to a pretty cool lesson. In a frantic attempt to think of a song to sing, one of the ladies started humming Amazing Grace and asked if I knew it. I played through it a couple times, then got the chance to explain the lyrics word for word. The Japanese, though very vague and confusing in their own religious beliefs, are consequently fairly open to hearing about others. So I was able to go into great detail about what “grace” is, as well as what a “wretch” is and what exactly we are being saved from and by whom. (Right, not “who”? I humble request a review from Mama ‘Lisa)

Each class ends in an intense battle to feed me. Every mother there brings, usually, something store bought for me to try, as well as some signature homemade dish they want to educate me about. Then they chat while I work off my heavy lunch by playing with the herd of toddlers that tornadoes through the room.

It has been very frustrating and humbling, but thank you all for your prayers, because we are getting to see them answered in very obvious and incredible ways.

A grabbag of Japanese “delicacies”

He whines and cries throughout the entire class and thinks he can smile and hand me a toy and I will just forgive and forget. Bested by a toddler….

I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted. We’ve been pretty crazy lately. Work has gotten more intense and sometimes it feels like there’s barely room to breathe. Coming home exhausted after staring at a computer screen all day means that there’s less energy to spend on Adam. It is also really exhausting to not hear or see anything in English ever. The constant analyzing and attempted translation of Japanese can also leave us drained.

On the positive side, music has been going fantastically. We have three singles on iTunes and are trying to put up a full EP soon. We have good, solid friends that we can spend time with. We continue to grow as a couple. God continues to be good all the time. We will try to get some more pictures and videos up soon! Thank you for your prayers and for your love, we appreciate it very much!

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